Holder for gaseous discharge lamps



h. N, 1950 E. R. KULKA HOLDER FOR GASEOUS DISCHARGE LAMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Dec. 18, 1948 m T N T m AYTORNiYS- EUGENE R. KULILA E- R. KULKAHOLDER FOR GASEOUS DISCHARGE LAMPS Jan. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. EUGENE R. ILULKA.

Filed Dec. 18, 1948 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 17, 1950 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE HOLDER FOB GASEOUSDISCHARGE LAMPS Eugene B. Knlka, Mount Vernon, N. Y. ApplicationDecember 18, 1948, Serial No. 66,065 8 (Cl. 173-328) My inventionrelates to improvements in lampholder means for holding fluorescentlamps and other lamps of the gaseous discharge type, and isaeontinuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 586,647,filed April 5, 1945, which has matured into U. 8. Patent No. 2,464,643,issued March 15, 1949.

The invention relats particularly to lampholder means for a gaseousdischarge lamp which is operated at a high voltage, such as 600 volts-1000 volts or more. The accidental touching of such a high-voltagecontact results in serious injury or death.

A lamp of this type has a single external metal contact head or prong,at each end thereof, such contact head being commonly referred to as amono pin. Such lamps do not require starters. I provide a primarylampholder and a secondary lampholder for each lamp. The high anddangerous voltage is applied to the terminal of the secondarylampholder. This high voltage is secured, for example, from thesecondary section of a step-up auto-transformer. The high-voltagesecondary circuit remains open, until a lamp is inserted into the twolampholders, whereby the secondary circuit is closed through the lampitself. when the lamp is inserted, it covers and obstructs thehigh-voltage contact, thus preventing accidents.

Gaseous discharge lamps having a single external contact head aremanufactured in several lengths, and of several diameters. Such lampsare now made with diameters of 1 inches, one inch, and inch, and,according to present indications, lamps having greater diameters willeventually appear upon the market. The diameters of the hollow headswhich connect the contact heads to the envelope of the lamps varycorrespondingly with the diameters of the lamp envelopes.

The conventional iampholders for lamps of this type are commonlyprovided with a peripheral flange in the front wall thereof into whichthe hollow heads of the lamps are adapted to fit snugly, in order forthe contact heads or prongs to make contact with the internal circuitsof the holders. Since the diameters of these hollow heads increase asthe diameter of the lamp increases, it has heretofore been necessary tochange the lampholders in the flxtln'e every time the diameter of thelamp was changed. In addition, this requirement has caused seriousinconvenience to dealers and manufacturers who must carry a completeline oi lampholders for each size of lamp.

In lamps of this sort, the contact heads or prongs are made of a uniformsize and diameter regardless of the size and diameter of the hollowheads or the envelopes.

I provide a pair of lampholders which may be effectively used to hold alamp of the aforementioned typ no matter what its size or diameter andin which lamps of various diameters may be used interchangeably.

in Numerous additional objects and advantages of my invention will bestated in the annexed description and drawings, which illustrate oneembodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lamp shown held 15 operatively in asecondary holder and a primary holder of my invention. In this view, theholders are shown attached to the walls of a fixture.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the secondary holder.

e Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the primary holder.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit which I employ for bothholders.

Fig. 5 is a side sectional view of the primary holder and the secondaryholder shown attached to the walls of a fixture. The lamp L inserted ineach holder is shown in phantom and is broken away at the center forconvenience of illustration.

Fig. 6 is a section of the secondary holder taken 39 on line 6-5 of Fig.5.

Fig. 7 is a section of the primary holder taken along line 1-1 of Fig.6.

The primary holder Ill and the secondary holder ll have casings whichare made of suitable insulating material. Said holders l0 and may befixed to the walls of a fixture F with the front walls of said holdercasings proximate to each other and longitudinally alined.

The primary holder l0 comprises a cylindrical 40 outer casing II whichhas a front wall l2. A

central hole 20 in said front wall [2 provides an insert opening for thecontact head of a lamp.

The inner wall lid of the outer casing H has a pair ofdiametrically-opposed, longitudinal projections or posts l3 which areprovided with tapped holes ll. The posts l3 are integral with the innerwall I la, and extend from the front wall I! to the open edge of thecasing I I.

The projections l3 have extension-shoulders Ii which extend transverselyaround the inner wall Ila between the posts 13. The shoulders l5 areintegral with the inner face of the front wall It, but the end surfacesof said shoulders are spaced from the open end of the casing I I. Eachshoulder I! has a T-shaped slot or groove it which extendslongitudinally therein. A longitudinal projection or rib l1 extends intothe center of a pair of contact springs l6, |6a.- These contact springsare preferably made of Phosphor bronze or other resilient and conductivematerial. Each contact spring I6, I81: is bent to 'form a base 81) andtwo respective upright arms I80 and I8d. The arm |8c is longer than thearm [8d, and the free end of said arm |8c may be bent as shown at |8e inFig. in order to facilitate freer sliding contact thereof with thecontact head of an inserted lamp. Each contact sprin l6, l6a is providedwith a hole or recess I9 at the juncture of base I81) and arm I.

The arm |8d is of a size and shape .to fit within the T-shaped slot |6of casing When so inserted, the bent end |8e of arm |8c is normally heldadajacent the inner surface of the hole in front wall l2, and partiallyoverlapping said hole, so that it will engage the contact head of aninserted lamp. The longitudinal head or rib H in the slot I6 is providedto put tension on the arm Id and thus afford a pressure-fit for therespective contact spring I8, I812.

The contact springs |8 and IBa are shown and described by way of apreferred example, it being understood that said springs may be of anydesired shape and located within the primary casing in any suitablemanner so as to contact an inserted contact head or prong of the lamp.Said contact springs 18 and IM have been described as being preferablymade of a resilient material, but said springs may be made of a solid ornonresilient, conductive material if desired. I prefer, however, a.resilient material for better efliciency in operation.

The rear open end of the primary holder socket I6 is provided with acover 2| which is made of insulating material. Cover 2| is shaped to fitwithin the open end of casin II, and to abut the upper edge of theshoulders l5. Said cover 2| is fixed to the shoulders I 5 by rivets orother fasteners 22 (Fig. 3), which are located in bores or recesses 23of said shoulders l5 (Fig. 7).

Cover 2| has a pair of wire inlets or grooves 24, through whichrespective lead wires 25 and 26 extend. The terminal edge of casing IIhas a pair of openings or recesses 21, through which the wires 25 and 26maybe passed when the socket I0 is secured to a fixture F. Both wiresmay be passed through a single recess 21 as shown in 'Fig. 3, or eachwire may be passed through a separate recess, according to theinstallation requirements.

The bare end of each of the wires 25 and 26 extends through the hole orrecess IS in the base of one of the contact springs l8, Illa, and thewire is secured to the inner wall of the arm l8d by soldering or in anyother way. Thus a large area of contact is afforded each wire. Therespective bare end of wire 25 is conductively fixed to contact springl6, while the respective bare end of wire 26 is fixed to contact springl8a. These wires are insulated from each other, inwardly-of primaryholder l0 and also externally thereto, save where wire 26 is fixed topower terminal 36,

. and where wire 25 is fixed to an end of the autotransformer coil 3|,which has a primary section 3| a. This auto-transformer 30 functions tostep posed recess or bore 4 up the ordinary housevoltage of 110-115volts, to GOO-1,000 volts or more.

Power terminal 30a of the source of primary.

current can be connected through switch 32 to wire 33, which isadjustably connected at 34 to the coil 3|, intermediate the ends of thecoil 3|, in order to regulate the ratio between primary voltage andsecondary voltage.

One end of the coil 3| is connected by wire 35 to the contact washer 49of the secondary holder 40. This contact washer 48 is a secondaryterminal.

The secondary holder comprises a cylindrical base 4|, and a hollowcylinder or shall 42 which is slidable on said base 4|. The end wall 43of base 4| has a plurality of longitudinal tapped bores 44 into whichscrews S may be inserted for attachment of said base 4| to the wall of afixture F. The end wall 43 is also provided with a recess 45intermediate the tapped bores 44, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The casing wall of thebase 4| adjacent therecess 45 is provided with a wire inlet 41 through which the wire 35 mayextend.

The opposite unattached end of the base 4| is provided with an enlargedbore or well 43, at the bottom of which is the contact washer 43. Alongitudinal bore connects the recess 45 with the well 48. The contactwasher 43 is clamped to the bottom wall of the well 48 by a hollow rivet0r eyelet 5|, which extends through the center of said contact washer 45and partially through the bore 50. This eyelet 5| is made of aconductive material, as is the contact washer 49. The bare end of thewire 35 extends through the eyelet 5| into the well 48, and isconductively secured to the contact washer 49 by solder or similarmeans.

The forward outer wall of the base 4| is provided with a peripheralflange 53 which slidably abuts the inner wall 42a of the cylinder 42.The rear end of the cylinder 42 has an inner peripheral groove 54 whichhouses a flexible wire or band 55. The wire or band 55 protrudes beyondthe surface of the inner Wall 4211 of the cylinder 42, and said wire orband 55 is positioned to abut the shoulder 56 formed by the flange 53 ofbase 4|. The wire or band 55 thus acts as a stop to limit the forwardmovement of the cylinder 42, and prevents said cylinder 42 from'slidingout of engagement with the base 4| The slidable cylinder 42 has a frontwall 51, the inner face of which is provided with a circular boss 58.The front wall has a centrally dis- 59 which extends through the boss 58and into the hollow center portion of said cylinder 52. A conductivemetal cup 66 is fixed to the inner end of the boss 56, as by a drive fitor in any other manner. Said cup 66 has a plate portion which crossesand also closes the central opening or bore 59.

A metal biasing spring 6| is seated in the well 48. The unseated end ofsaid spring 6| biases the cup 60 away from the base 4|, so that theshoulder 56 of said base 4| normally engages the wire or band 55. Thespring 6| has one or more turns 6|a which firmly rip the cup 66. Saidspring 6| is made of a conductive, resilient material.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the terminal end of cylinder 42 is providedwith an opening or recess 62 which registers with the wire inlet 41 ofbase 4| The cylinder 42 may thus he slid against the tension of biasingspring 6| until the edge of said cylinder 42 abuts the fixture F,without the lead wire 35 interfering with its movement. In order tomaintain the recess 52in position to register with the wire inlet 41, akey 63 is provided on the inner ,wall 42a of the cylinder 41, and acorresponding groove 64 is provided in the outer wall of base 4|. Thiskey 63 and groove 84 function to prevent the cylinder 42 from rotatingrelative to the base I.

The wire or band 55 of the cylinder ll terminates adjacent each end ofthe recess 82 as shown in broken lines in Fig. 5.

The lamp L has the usual envelope which is made of glass or otherinsulating material. Said lamp L has the usual hollow heads H and Gwhich are made of insulating material. The usual metal contact heads orcontact prongs C and P are connected in the usual manner to the internalelectrodes of the lamp. Said heads and P are longitudinally alined.

In order to connect the lamp to the secondary current circuit, it isnecessary first to insert the contact head C into the secondary holder40 through its open insert end 59 and to push the cylinder 42 laterallytoward the fixture F and against the biasing force of spring 6|. This isdone by the pressure of contact head or prong C against the respectivewall or portion of metal cup 60 which crosses the bore of boss 58, aswell as the pressure of the hollow head H against the outer face offront wall 51. The cylinder 42 must be pushed inwardly of the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 5, in order that the lamp L can be horizontallylocated with its head P located externally to primary holder Hi. Thehead P is then inserted into the primary holder l0 through its openinsert end, so that said head P projects through the hole 20 of thefront wall l2, which front wall l2 then abuts the head P to act as astop. The bent ends lBe of the contact sprin s l8 and l8a then makecontact with said head 1?.

It will be noted that when the contact head or prong C is inserted fullywithin its respective insert recess 59 so that said contact head C makescontact with the metal cup 60, the hollow head H of the lamp L abuts theouter face of front wall 51 of secondary holder 40. Similarly, thecontact head or prong P may be inserted into its respective recess 20until the respective hollow head G abuts the front wall l2 of primaryholder l0.

Since, as has been previously stated, the contact heads or prongs C andP have a uniform size and diameter, no matter what may be the size anddiameter of the lamp and its hollow heads G and H, it is obvious thatany mono pin" lamp of whatever size or diameter may be effectively andoperatively held by the holder sockets of my invention.

The primary holder l0 and the secondary holder 40 are fixed to the wallof a fixture F, by the screws S which pass through bores of said fixturewall or walls. Said screws S are screwed into the tapped bores ll of theprimary holder III as well as the tapped bores 44 of the secondaryholder 40. When so fixed, the open inlet or insert ends of the casingsof the holders III and 40 are longitudinally alined, and said inlet endsface each other.

When switch 32 is closed, the lead 30a of the alternating, primarycurrent, which may be ordinary house current of 100415 volts and 60cycles, is connected through wire 33 to the inner end of the primarysection 3 la of the auto-transformer coil 3|. Said auto-transformer coil3! also functions as a ballast for the lamp. The free end of the primarysection 3| a is connected by wire 25 to contact spring [8. The lead llof the 20 to the contact spring Ila. The primary circuit is thus closedthrough the primary section an and the contact head P.

One end of the coil II is connected through wire 35, contact washer ll,biasing spring II. and metal cap 60, to the contact head 0. The highsecondary voltage discharges through the lamp L to head P, and throughspring [8 and wire 25 to the respective end of the auto-transformer 3|.

The high voltage secondary circuit therefore remains open, until thelamp L is in operative position, when it obstructs the exposed highvoltage terminal of the secondary holder 40. If the exposed wall ofmetal cup 60 is touched, even when switch 32 is closed, there can be noshock.

I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, but numerouschanges and omissions and additions can be made without departing fromits scope.

For example, the invention is'not limited to the use of anauto-transformer. The ends of the secondary coil of any type oftransformer can be connected respectively to the terminals 8 and I, sothat the secondary circuit will be closed through the metal contactheads C and P and the interior space of the' lamp. In such case, theends of the primary coil are connected respectively to the terminals l8and [8a. In Fig. 5, the entire coil 3| is the secondary coil, and thesection 3la is the primary coil.

The invention applies to any type of lamp, including discharge lamps inwhich the space current results from electronic flow, as distinguishedfrom an ionization discharge, and also including non-discharge lamps.

In effect, the contact springs l8 and Na constitute a switch device orswitch means, whereby the primary circuit is automatically closed whenthe lamp is inserted into the holder to, and said primary circuit isautomatically opened when the lamp is removed from holder It]. Thisswitch device is operated and controlled by head P. In this aspect of myinvention, it is not limited to the preferred structure illustratedherein, in which all the internal parts of the holder l0 are fixed, savefor the bending of springs 18 and I811 when the head P is inserted.

For convenience, the terminal or contact washer 49 may also bedesignated as a first terminal, and the terminals [8 and Ba may bedesignated as second terminals. The members 6 l-'60 then constitute afirst contact for the first terminal 9, and the ends l8e of the membersl8 and Mia constitute second contacts. These contacts are located sothat when the lamp is in operative position, the first contact Bl-Gllabuts one contact head of the lamp, and the second contacts lBe abut theother contact head of the lamp. The lamp may be of a type which has morethan two contact heads. Hence, when I specify a lamp which has a pair ofcontact heads, the invention is not limited in this respect, as itincludes a lamp which has more than two contact heads.

I claim:

1. For use in holding one end of a lamp which has respective externaland parallel and longitudinally-alined and conductive contact heads, acasing made of insulating material and comprising a base, a hollowmember which is telescopically slidable over said base, and an internalconductive spring which biases said hollow member away from said base,said hollow member having at least one longitudinal inlet-opening, and acontact member which is fixed over said inlet opening in a position tocontact with a respective inserted contact head of the lamp, said basehaving a conductive terminal, said spring touching the conductiveterminal at one end and the contact member at the other end.

2. For use in holding one end of a lamp which has an envelope,respective external and parallel and longitudinally-alined andconductive contact heads, and respective hollow end members which housethe inner ends of said contact heads, a casing made of insulatingmaterial and comprising a fixed, stationary base having a conductiveterminal, and a hollow cup which houses the outer end of said base andis longitudinally slidable thereon, said hollow cup having a front wall,and a longitudinal axis which passes through an inlet opening in saidfront 'wall, said inlet opening being shaped to receive a respectiveinserted contact head of the lamp, said front wall being adapted to abutthe respective hollow end of the lamp when one of the contact heads isinserted into said inlet opening, said hollow cup also having a contactwhich is fixed to said front wall and which is located to contact withsaid respective inserted contact head, the said casing having aninternal conductive spring which biases said hollow cup away from thefixed end of said base, one end of the spring being connected to theterminal in the base, the other end of said spring touching the contactmember in said hollow cup.

3. A casing according to claim 2, in which the side wall of the baseadjacent the fixed end thereof contains a wire inlet opening, and theopen end of the hollow cup contains a second wire inlet opening which ispositioned to register with the wire inlet opening of the base when saidhollow cup is pushed toward the fixed end of said base, the inner wallof said hollow cup having a longitudinally-extending, projecting key,the outer wall of said base having a longitudinallyextending groovewhich is shaped to receive said key, said key and groove beingpositioned to retain the said wire inlet openings in registeringposition.

4. For use in holding one end of a lamp which has respective externaland parallel and longitudinally-alined and conductive contact heads, acasing made of insulating material and comprising a base, one end ofwhich is fixed to a stationary support, a hollow member which istelescopically slidable over said base, and an internalconductive springwhich biases said hollow member away from the fixed end of said base,said hollow member having at least one longitudinal inlet opening in thefront wall thereof,

and a contact member which is fixed over said inlet opening in positionto contact with a respective inserted contact head of the lamp. saidbase having an internal conductive terminal, said spring touching theconductive terminal at one end and the contact member at the other end,the side wall of said base containing a wire inlet opening, the hollowmember containing a second wire inlet opening which is positioned toregister with the wire inlet opening of the base, the inner wall of thehollow member and the outer wall of the base bearing a respectivelongitudinally-extending and interfitting key and groove which arepositioned to retain said wire inlet opening in position to registerwith each other.

5. A casing according to claim 4 in which the free end of the base hasan outwardly projecting peripheral flange, and the inner wall of thehollow member contains a peripheral groove which houses a resilient ringmember, said ring" member projecting beyond the surface of said innerwall, said ring member being positioned to contact the peripheral flangeof the base when the hollow member is biased away from the fixed end ofthe base, said peripheral flange and ring member cooperating as stopmeans to prevent said hollow member from being biased out of engagementwith said base.

6. For use in holding one end of a lamp which has respective externaland parallel and longitudinally-alined and conductive contact heads, acasing made of insulating material and comprising a base, a hollowmember which is telescopically slidable over said base, and an internalconductive spring which biases said hollow member away from said base,said hollow member having at least one longitudinal inlet-opening, and acontact member which is fixed over said inlet opening in a position tocontact with a respective inserted contact head of the lamp, said basehaving a conductive terminal, said spring touching the conductiveterminal at one end and the contact member at the other end, said basehaving an externally projecting peripheral flange, said hollow memberhaving an internal periph eral resilient ring, said ring beingpositioned to abut said flange when said hollow member is biased awayfrom said base and to prevent said hollow member from leaving said base.

7. For use in holding one end of a lamp which has an envelope,respective external and parallel and longitudinally alined andconductive contact heads, and respective hollow end members which housethe inner ends of said contact heads, a casing made of insulatingmaterial andcomprising a fixed, stationary hollow base having aconductive terminal and a hollow cup which is axially alined with saidbase and telescopes with said base, the internal recess of said hollowcup communicating with the internal recess of said base, said hollow cuphaving a front wall, and at least one longitudinal inlet opening in saidfront wall, said inlet opening being shaped to receive a respectiveinserted contact head of the lamp, the outer surface of said front wallbeing positioned to abut the respective hollow end of the lamp when oneof the contact heads is inserted into said inlet opening, said hollowcup also having a contact member which abuts the innersurface of saidfront wall adjacent said inlet opening and is located to contact withsaid respective inserted contact head, said casing having an internalconductive spring one end of which is seated in the internal recess ofthe base and the other end of which is seated in the internal recess ofthe hollow cup, said spring biasing the front wall of said hollow cupaway from said base, one end of said spring making electrical contactwith the terminal in said base, the other end of said spring makingelectrical contact with the contact member in said hollow cup.

8. For use in holding one end of a lamp which has an envelope,respective external and parallel and longitudinally alined andconductive contact heads, and respective hollow end members which housethe inner ends of said contact heads, a

casing made of insulating material and comprising a fixed, stationarybase having a longitudinal recess in the front end thereof and aconductive terminal within said recess, and a hollow cup which isaxially alined with said'base and is 9 longitudinally and telescopicallyslidable relative to said base, the internal recess of said hollow cupcommunicating with the internal recess of said base, said hollow cuphaving a front wall and at least one longitudinal inlet opening in saidfront wall, said inlet opening being shaped to receive a respectiveinserted contact head of the lamp, said hollow cup also having a contactmember which abuts the inner surface of said front wall adjacent saidinlet opening and is positioned to contact with said respective insertedcontact head, said casing having an internal conductive spring one endof which is seated in the internal recess of the base and the other endof which is seated in the internal recess of the hollow cup, said springbiasing the front wall of said hollow cup to an extended position inwhich said front wall is located forwardly of said base with the outersurface of said front wall positioned to abut the respective hollow endof the lamp when one of the contact heads is inserted into said inletopening, one end of said spring making electrical contact with theterminal of said base, the other end of said spring abutting the contactmember of said hollow cup and pressing said contact member against theinner surface of said front wall;

EUGENE R. KULKA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED era-ms PATENTS Name Date De Reamer June 4. 1946 Number

